Across the thousands of stocks on the London Stock Exchange right now there will undoubtedly be lurking a few once-in-a-decade opportunities. A few could even be hiding in plain sight on the FTSE 100.
Companies that are set to double, triple, or surge even higher in value likely exist; the tricky part is unearthing them. That’s why I recruited my old friend ChatGPT for the task.
The question
I asked: “What are the once-in-a-decade opportunities on the FTSE 100 right now? Explain your reasoning.”
Its first suggestion was a very curious one to my mind. ChatGPT served up gold and silver miner Fresnillo (LSE: FRES). It claimed possible “disproportionate returns” due to “ongoing global demand for metals and precious resources”.
The growth trajectory of the company has been staggering of late, but it’s hard to see the surge continuing. For example, if the Fresnillo share price performed the same in 2026 as it did in 2025 then it would be the third-largest company on the entire FTSE 100!
Geopolitical uncertainty and possible ‘de-dollarisation’ could keep the price of safe haven metals like gold and silver booming. But this is not the kind of rare opportunity I was seeking. It does however function as a timely reminder that large language models are not to be relied on for financial advice.
Its second pick was the “turnaround opportunity” of Diageo (LSE: DGE) shares. The drinks giant – producer of Guinness, Johnnie Walker, and Smirnoff among others – looks like an absolute bargain on many metrics compared to historical levels. There is a catch though: folks are drinking less.
The impact of changing habits of alcohol consumption threatens to be vast. Only a few years ago, Diageo shares cost a premium compared to the rest of the FTSE 100 relative to earnings. Now they are significantly below average – a forward price-to-earnings ratio of just 13.4.
On the other hand, perhaps we are at maximum panic. I find it interesting that, amid the doom and gloom, revenue and earnings are forecast to climb over the next two years (if only slightly).
Indeed, Warren Buffett tells us to “get greedy when others are fearful“. I’d say this is one to consider.
Dividend opportunity?
The third suggestion was to look into dividend stocks like Legal & General (LSE: LGEN) or Admiral Group. That’s because “Dividend-oriented stocks often outperform when prices stagnate”. This suggests that ChatGPT might see these ‘jam today’ plays as being excellent in years to come in the event of market stagnation.
A look at the Legal & General share price over the last decade is enough to put anyone off investing. It’s only up 3%. An investor could have earned more in a savings account. But this is currently the biggest dividend yield on the FTSE 100. Looking at total return, the stock is up 123% over the same timeframe.
Are those kind of returns enough to call it a ‘once-in-a-decade opportunity’? I’m not so sure. But I think if a crash or correction comes our way in the next few years then Legal General can weather the storm better than most. Another to consider, for me.
